Card index cabinet



www4

'Wil 3 194L c. F'. WoLTERs CARD INDEX. CABINET' Filed Feb. 1G, 3.95"? 7 Sheec-Sheet l www W..

G. F. CA

an INDEX CABINET Filed Feb. 16, 1937 '7 Sheets-Sheet Amm @y wm. y

C. F'. WOLTERS CARD INDEX CABINET Filed Feb. 16, 1937 7' Sheets-Sheet 3 April 8, 1941. c. F. Wouw@ GARD INDEX CABNET Filed Feb. 16, 1937 '7 Shee'tS-Sheeb 4 H'UV H hva MM WWW@ April 8, 1941. c. F. WOLTERS y2,238,004

' CARD INDEX CABINET Filed Feb. 16, 1937 '7 Sheets-Sheet E April 3, 1941' c. F. WOLTERS 2.238.004

CARD INDEX CABINET Filed Feb.` 16, 1937 '7 Sheets-Sheet E5 .1@ 11 9 /5 /s ,e/ a

l 7 H||Il`80 g4 pril 8, 1941. c. F. WOLTERS CARD INDEX CABINET Filed Feb. 16, 1937 7 Sheets-Sheet 'T lume/YM Mimi/i7 Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED olmo INDEX camsr Carl F. Wolters, Kenmore, N. Y., assigner to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, bl.. if.,

Application February 16 i937, Serial No.. 126mm (@l. ll-itl ll lDlaims.

this invention relates to improvements in the construction oi cabinets for visible card indexes.

The invention provides a slide member ior a card index tray, mounting the tray in guidewavs in the cabinet; a slide member supporting the trap' tor withdrawal from the cabinet but retaininc the trav in attached relation thereto; a slide member also providing a partition tor covering the contents oi each tray and dividing the cabinet into a plurality oi' compartments, the parti tion :termed by the slide member extending be-J tween the side walls oi the trav; a cabinet strucu ture having cuide trames providins.r the trav, puidewavs assembled therein through the open iront end and retained in assembled position br spacer members at the top and bottom or the cabinet mounted inside oi the top and bottom walls so as to ensaee between the ends or the uprlchts oi the cuide trames and hold them asainst the side walls oi the cabinet; a slide member construction. telescopically receiving a card indea tray and hai/ine a cushioned stop device lor normally arresting iorward movement oi the slide member outwardly oi the cabinet to pre-n vent detachment oi the slide member from the cabinet, cushioning the movement oi the slide member at its forward limit, while the slide member is provided with parts having cooperation with parts ol the trav to normally prevent coml plete detachment of the tray from the slide inem.- ber and the cabinet in withdrawn position; and a cover structure having parts normally cooperation to occupy the uppermost tray compartment ot the cabinet with parts of the structure cooperating with the guide frames for the trays at the top of the cabinet, said cover being housed in the compartment at the top of the cabinet in open position and being constructed for .sliding movement and withdrawal therefrom whereupon the cover may be swung over the fronts of the traps into the closed position, a lock being provided to engage the bottom oi the cabinet for loclrinn the cover in closed position.

in the drawings:

lilla. l shows a cabinet constructed according to this invention in perspective, with one trav withdrawn and supported in inclined relation by the supporting leali pulled out trom the bottom ol tbe cabinet, the cover beine in the open position.

2 shows the iront portion oi the cabinet in side elevation with the cover shown in open position and one or the slide members withdrawn to the second stop position ci its outward movelli bil

ment from the cabinet., the card indes tray beine shown housed in the slide .member.J

Fig: 3 shows the cabinet in side elevation with portions brolren away and shown in section to illustrate details or construction, two or the trays and their slide members beine shown in propressive positions oi withdrawal trom the cabinet where the stop mechanism limits further outward movement.,

bis. fi is a horizontal cross section through the cabinet :trom which the trays and slide members have been removed to illustrate the details of construction or the cabinet and the manner oi assembly oi the guide trames therein.

Fig. 5 is a cross section tairen substantially on line of 3, certain portions beine; lett in elevation and other portions beine; brolren away lor convenience in illustrating details ot constinction.

l'ig. o is an enlarged iraementarr vertical longitudinal section showing a portion ci the rear end oi one tray withdrawn from the cabinet and its slide memben the slide member be ing shown in the position at which its iorward motion is arrested by engagement oi the stop mechanism with the i'lrst stop in the euidewav.

litres. "l, il and o are enlarged iraementarr side elevations oi a slide member and its card index tray with a portieri or the guideway, portions of the slide member and trav being broken avraiv and shown in section and the position or the slide member and the trav in each ol' the views with respect to each other and the guideway being changed to illustrate progressive positions of operation or the card index trav with reference to the sllde member and the cuideway, and the operation of the stop mechanism..

Fig 10 is a horizontal cross section through a slide member and tray showing portions left in elevation and other portions broken away, the scale being enlarged for the purpose of il1ustrating details of construction of the slide member and tray.

i Fig. ll is a fragmentary cross section taken .on line ll-ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. l2 is a vertical cross section taken on line li--li ci" liig. il, the cover being shown in closed position.

lelie. i3 shows the trav carried parts that co operate with the latchinn mechanism in the slide member.

Fig. li is a vertical longitudinal cross section similar to Fie'. 3, disclosing a modibed iorm or cabinet structure hai/ine portions breiten away.

Fig. l5 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sec" tion taken at the front ol.' the cabinet, showing a Iragment of a card index tray in one withdrawn position from the cabinet with portions broken away to illustrate details of construcuolgig. 16 is a cross section taken on line I 6-I6 digg' 1175.15 a view similar to Fig. 16 with the tray moved into a dogvnwardly extending posithe slide mem er. tio'll'henimproved cabinet forming this invention has a casing I formed of sheetI metal to provide side walls 2, top wall 3, bottom wall 4 and rear wall 5. The top and side walls are formed from one piece of ysheet material, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, in which the top 3 is formed in the central portion of the sheet, while the side Walls 2 are formed at opposite ends. The sheet is also formed to provide flanges 6 along the lower edges of the side walls extending inwardly as shown in u Fig. 5, for example, to provide an overlap with the side margins of bottom 4 so the bottom may be welded to the sheet material forming the sides in order to provide an integral structure. At the front of the cabinet the sheet metal forming the top, side and bottom walls is provided with inwardly extending anges to i'orm a narrow front wall portion indicated at 'l in Fig. 1, the sheet material being formed with an inwardly directed flange around the inner edge of front wall section l, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 at 8, to provide an inwardly directed channel at the front of the cabinet. The flange 8 extending around the inner edge of front wall section l cooperates therewith to denne the front opening in the cabinet and a rectangular frame member 9 is inserted in back of front wall 'l to reinforce the front of the cabinet.

At the rear end of the cabinet, the side and top walls are formed with inwardly directed flanges I to embrace the marginal edges of rear wall 5 and provide an overlap so that the rear wall may be rigidly welded, by spot welding or the like, to the side and top walls. The lower edge of rear wall is provided with a ange II overlapping bottom wall 4 as shown in Fig. 3 so that the flange may be Welded to the rear edge of the bottom wall. It will be seen from this construction of side, top, bottom and rear walls, that a rigid casing structure for the cabinet is provided.

The interior of the casing is iitted with a structure for supporting a plurality of slide members and card index trays. These interior fittings will now be described. Guide frames I2 are tted on the inside of the casing against side walls 2. These guide frames comprise in the present instance vertical end members I3 and a central vertical supporting member I4. These end members and the central member of each guide frame, there being two, one on each side of the cabinet formed complementa] one to the other, are constructed of sheet metal formed into channel shape in 'transverse section. Vertical end members I3 have the channel-shaped portion provided with a iiange on one edge of the free edges of the channel while the central vertical support I4 is provided with a pair of flanges as clearly shown in Fig. 4. At the upper and lower ends, each of these vertical supports I3 and I4 are provided with end flanges I5, shown in Figs. 4 and 5. An inner top spacer unit for these guide frames includes an inner top wall member IIv formed of a piece of sheet metal having laterally extending anges I'I formed at the side edges as shown in Fig. 5 terminating in offset marginal edge portion I8. A pair of upper cross bars I0 are secured by spot welding or the like to the ends of inner top wall IB as shown in Fig. 3 in a position to engage between the vertical supporting members I3 at the front and rear ends of the guide frames.

In constructing the cabinet and assembling these parts in the interior of the casing, the inner top member is inserted into the casing by twisting it at an angle to the walls of the casing and inserting it through the iront opening. When this inner top member is inserted into the cabinet through the front opening, the rear end is moved to a position adjacent the bottom of the cabinet, while the front end is moved into a position adjacent top wall 3 of the cabinet. When -the front end has engaged top wall 3 it is slid forwardly along the top Wall while the rear end of the inner top wall member IS ls moved toward top wall 3. This allows the front end of cross bar I9 to engage under the inturned flange 8 at the front end of the casing until the inner top member IB and cross bars I9 take the position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.

In this assembling operation the casing is usually placed in an inverted position with top wall 3 at the bottom. Then the guide frames are inserted into the casing one at a time, through the open front end of the casing. Each guide frame is tilted at an angle and when it is inserted in the casing so that the rear end engages rear wall 5, each frame then has its upper end inserted between the lateral flange Il on inner top member I6 and the side wall of the casing. 'I'he top member has the marginal portions I8 seated against the inner face of top wall 3 as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and as the guide frames are inserted into position in the casing. the upper ends of vertical supporting members I3 and I4 engage between anges II and side wall 2 of the casing. As the lower ends of vertical supporting members I3 and I4 are moved toward the side walls, the upper ends will seat against marginal flanges I l with the front and rear vertical supporting members I3 engaged beyond the ends of cross bars I9 and thereby rmly held in contact with side walls 2 of the casing.

After the frames have been inserted into position in the manner described above one at a time, adjacent opposite side walls to the position illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, then lower cross bars 20 are inserted into the cabinet between the lower ends of vertical supporting members I3 and I4. These bottom cross bars 20 have arcuate ends as indicated at 2I. Cross bars 20 are channel shape in cross section and are inserted in position by placing them on bottom wall 4 at an angle to the side walls. Then the cross bars are rotated into the transversely extending position so that the ends engage between upright supporting members I3 and I4 at opposite sides of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 4, the arcuate end portions providing for the engagement of the cross bars in the rotated movement into the transversely extending position shown in Fig. 4. Then, a jig or spreader device, not shown in the drawings, is inserted between the lower ends of the guide frames and holes are then drilled through end flanges I5 by inserting the drill through openings 22 in the bottom of the casing shown in Fig. 5. Self-threading screws 23 are then inserted through openings 22 to rigidly secure cross bars 20 to the ends oi' uprights I3 and I4, In this way the guide frames are rigidly secured against the inner faces of side walls 2 of the casing, and

their slide members. 'Ihese bars extend from the iront to the rear o1 the cabinet as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Each of the angle bars at one side of the cabinet on one of the guide frames, the one at the right-hand side of the cabinet as shown in the drawings, looking from the front of the cabinet, is provided with a series of cut-out sections to form stops. Each angle bar 24 of the right-hand guide trame has the lower rear end provided with a cut-out portion indicated at 25 for the first stop tor the slide members. A pair oi studs 2t adjacent the cut--out portion 25 are mounted in the vertically extending part of angle bar it and slidably support stop slide 2l of angular iorm in cross section. This stop slide is formed oi sheet metal having a horizontal flange 28 provided with a recess it while the vertical portion 3i is slotted at di to receive studs it. The forward end oi poru tion liti is provided with a laterally extending harige dit to which is attached one end oi coil spring iii having the opposite end secured to rearinost stud it, as clearly shown in lligs. 3 and Li. idpring is a tension spring and normally holds slide member il in its rearmost position. 'this iorrns the nrst stop tor the card index trays and their respective slide members operating as a cushion stop by reason ci the spring-resisted slid ing movement oi stop member il on guide bars titi. .lli notch it in the iorward portion oi each angle bar tid on the right-hand guide trarne serves to provide the second stop or iront stop tor a purpose that will be hereinafter described.

.ii plurality or slide members dii are provided, one tor each guideway formed by the guide mem hers in the casing. lThese slide members are slidn able in the guideways and formed oi sheet mate rial having a transversely extending imperiorate partition forming section Bt having offset portions il at opposite side edges thereof formed to provide the proper clearance between angle bars 'iii to slidably guide the slide members in their ,till

sliding movement into and out of the cabinet.

laide walls 3B are formed from the same piece oi sheet material as the partition section 3E and extend downwardly from the edges of oiset portion di, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, having the lower edges of the side walls provided with inwardly directed flanges 39 engaged with the horizontal portion of angle bars 24 to eiiiciently guide the slide members in the guideways formed by bars 24.

Each slide member has a back wall 40 formed at the upper edge with a laterally extending flange engaged under partition section 36 and suitably welded thereto so as to secure the back wall pernianently to the partition section and side walls it. .lit the front oi the slide member inwardly extending danges 39 are cut away for a portion oi the length oi the slide members toreceive a connecting section t2 extending across the iront of the slide member in spaced parallel relation to partition section 3d and having lateral extensions on the ends engaged with the inside faces of side walls it to which said extensions are welded to rigidly connect the tree lower edges of the side walls at the front portion of each slide member. Iiray guiding brackets i3 are secured on the inner faces oiside walls 3l and have inwardly extending iianges at the upper edge thereof spaced below partition section llas clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. These brackets are secured by welding or any suitablev methodsto side walls 3l and have I the frontends extending beyond the front edge of partition section 3 to the forward ends of side walls 38, which also extend beyond the front edge of section 3B. The front edge oi' partition 3i is provided with a return bent portion to form a rounded front edge on the partition as indicated at 4I in Fig. 6, so that cards and card holders in a card index tray carried by the slide member will be guided under the partition section 36 without mutilation.

A plurality of card index trays are provided one to slide in each slide member. These trays are generally designated 4by the numeral 45. Each tray is formed oi sheet metal having a bottom section 48 and side walls formed by extending the sheet metal laterally from bottom 'it at opposite side edges upwardly andinwardly to provide channels di' for receiving card holders 4d in offset over lapping visible relation as illustrated in Fig. l. l'he mounting ci the card holders di with portions engaged in channels lili is well known in the art. The side walls then extend upwardly and terminate in rolled portions it at the upper edges. The side walls oi the card index trays are oi? less height than the side walls it oi slide members 'lliey are adapted to slide under the laterally extending flanges on guide brackets di at the front sides oi each slide member iii so the bottom oi the tray will slide in the slide member in a position substantially in the plane oi the bottom edges oi the side walls d suitable iront struc.. ture tt is provided on the iront portion ci each tray and comprises a handle portion and a iabelholding portion. The iront itil oi the tray is higher than the side walls so that when the tray is in closed position in the slide member, the iront portion will close the iront ot the slide member and have the upper and lower edges lying adjacent to the opposed edges oi the iront structure ci" an adjacent tray. ri. suitable follower is provided in the tray indicated generally at iii in Fig, lli'ollowers o1" this character are well lrnown in the art and adapted tor use in a well irnown manner to retain card holders it in their visible indexed position. il top cover di is hingedly connected at the rear end oi the tray to bacia stop member 53 secured in the tray by spot welding or the `like to form a baci: wall in the tray tor limiting rearward movement of card holders in the tray. The top cover covers the rearmost card holder in the tray except the visible margin thereof so that only the index on the visible margin will show in the normal position of the card. holder and cards carried thereby in the tray.

The rear end of the tray is formed with a transversely extending bracket 53' having the forward edge welded to the rear end of the bottom or the tray and the remaining portion extending in rearwardiy and upwardly inclined relation from the rear end of the tray as shown in Figs. 7, il and d. The opposite edge of bracket 53 is formed with a cylindrical portion 54 embracing a rod iii, having curved end extensions 56 extending laterally trom the portion of the rods received in cylindricai portion 'di of bracket 5d. The end portions are engaged and rigidly secured in tubular portions ti on the upper edges oi the side walls of the tray at the rear end thereof. This structure is clearly shown in. Figs. 'l to il, from which it will be seen that an opening is provided between and lock the tray to the slide member.

the rear ends of the side walls of the card index tray and curved extensions 56 of wire member 55. At the side edges of the bracket 53' and to the rear o! the side walls on the tray there is provided a latching part 56 having an opening 51.

On one side of each side wall 38 of slide members at the rear end of the side wall there is provided a supporting bracket 58 secured to side walls 38. A stud 59 on bracket I5i! pivotally mounts a bell crank latch member 60 having a projection 6I for engagement in opening 51 of latch part 56 so that in the position of the part shown in Figs. 7 and 9 the tray will be latched to the slide members 35, so that any movement of the tray will produce a corresponding movement of the slide member therewith. The bell crank lever has at the same end as projection 6| another projection on the opposite side of the arm designated 62 directed toward the bottom of slide members 35 and arranged in position to engage the stop slide on angle member 24 of the guide frame. Stop projection 62 of bell crank 60 is adapted to engage in the cut-out portion 29 of slide member 21 forming the rst stop so as to limit the movement of slide member 35 when withdrawn outwardly at the position of stop slide 21 and cushion its stopping movement by means of spring 33 as heretofore described.

Bell crank 60 is normally urged to project stop projection 62 thereon downwardly by means of spring 63 mounted on stud 59 and having one end engaging the bell crank and the opposite end engaging rear wall of slide member 35, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 to 9. The opposite end of bell crank lever from that formed with projections 6| and 62 is formed to lie in the path of one of the curved extensions 56 on the card index .tray received in slide member 35, so that when the card index tray is moved inwardly to its rearmost position in slide member V35 it will engage and rotate the bell crank lever against the tension of spring '63, raising projection 62 into an inoperative position and raising projection 6l into opening 51 of bracket 56 so as to positively latch the slide member and card index tray together.

As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, illustrating difierent progressive positions of the card index tray and slide member in guide members 24, it will be seen that Fig. 7 illustrates the position of the 1tray and slide member 35 when in the normally closed position cf the tray in the cabinet. In this position extension 56 of rod member 55 has operated bell crank 58 to the position so that projection 6l will engage in openings 51 of bracket 56 Upon engaging the front of one of the card index trays manually for withdrawing it out of the cabinet, the forward pull upon the card index tray will draw its corresponding slide member with the tray so that the two will slide together by reason of the latch mechanism securing the tray'to the slide member until latch projection 62 in riding along the upper face of the horizontal flange of angle bracket 24 rides into cut-out 29 of stop slide 21. The forward pull on the tray will then serve to move the tray relative to slide member 35 a sufficient amount to allow projection 62 to drop into opening 29 in slide member 2l and thereby arrest the movement of slide member 35 in angle bars 24. This forward movement and stopping of slide member 35 is cushioned by spring 33 while the card index tray may have continued movement outwardly from the cabinet and its slide member.

The tray is normally prevented from being completely detached from its slide member by suitable stop mechanism having cooperating parts on the tray engaging suitable parts on the slide members. For this purpose a stud 64, Fig. 5, is xed on one side wall 38, the right-hand side as illustrated, in a position to normally fit in the groove in the side wall of the tray provided between cylindrical bead portion 49 and the flange portion formed to provide channels 41. As the tray reaches Ithe front end of the slide member, the curved extension 56 of rod member 55 will engage stud 64 at one side of the slide member. At the other side of the slide member another stud 65 will be engaged by curved extension 56 at the other end of rod member 55. Stud 65 is carried by a spring strip member 66 secured by rivets or the like 61 at its rear end to sides 38 of slide member 35, as clearly shown in Fig. 10. The forward free end of spring strip 65 extends outwardly adjacent the free end of the side wall '38 so that it may be manually engaged to retract stud 65 from engagement with curved extension 58 at one side of the tray whereupon the tray may be readily detached from the side members.

From this construction it will be seen tha/t when a tray is pulled out of its respective slide member and the slide member arrested in its forward movement by the rst stop mechanism in the cabinet, that the forward end of the slide member will project outwardly in front of the cabinet in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, while the tray will be completely withdrawn from the cabinet and the slide member into the position shown in Fig. 1 where it is hingedly supported by the slide members, with all of the card holders uncovered and open to inspection in the usual Well known manner.

When it is desired -to remove any slide member 35 to an additional extent, then the card index tray is moved inwardly until it reaches the rear end of slide member 35. By holding slide member 35 and pushing the tray inwardly to its rearmost position inthe slide member, when the slide member is engaged with the rst stop as shown in Fig. 8, Ithe bell crank latch 60 will be operated to disengage projection 62 from latch 21 and to engage projection 6I in opening 51, as shown in Fig. 9. Then, the tray and slide member may be withdrawn past the first stop mechanism in the guideway. By grasping the tray and continuing the forward pulling of vthe tray 'outwardly from the cabinet will cause slide member 35 to move therewith due to latch 68 securing Ithe tray and slide member together. Then, when the second stop position is reached projectiony 62 will drop into cut-out 34 in angle bar 24, releasing-the card index tray from slide member 35, arresting forward motion of slide member 35 and allowing the withdrawal of the card index ytray from the slide member until studs 54 and 65 engage curved portions 56 to prevent disengagement of the tray from -the slide member. Fig. 2 shows the slide member Withdrawn to the second stop position but the card index tray is not yet Withdrawn from the slide member. In Fig. 3, two trays lare shown as being partially withdrawn with their slide members from the cabinet, the uppermost slide member ybeing withdrawn to the position where it engages the second stop while the lower of the two withdrawn trays is engaged with the rst stop.` The card index tray in each of .these withdrawn slide members is only partially illustrated, the tray in the uppermost slide member being in the housed position in the slide member While the tray in the slide member withdrawn to the ilrst stop position is shown in its withdrawn position from the slide member similar to the illus- Itration in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that when the slide member is withdrawn to the second stop position that partition section 38 will project a substantial distance in iront of the cabinet, in which .position it is uselul as a shelf i'or the reception of cards and papers on which entries and records may be made. This second extension of the slide member is very useful where a battery of these cabinets are used, arranged side by side, since any one ot these slide members may be withdrawn to the second stop position to be used for supporting posting medium and as a writing shelf. .The slide members may also be withdrawn to the second stop position below a tray that it may be desired to inspect so that when a desired upper card finden tray is withdrawn to the second position, it can be used to support the tray in the withdrawn position similar to the illustration in Fig. l. The use oi the second stop for the slide member is also adapted to allow the tray carried thereby to be withdrawn from 'the slide member and supported beyond a tray withdrawn above to the entent ol the -flrst stop member. rl*his enables ready inspection ol the records in both trays simultaneously.,

llllhen two trays are withdrawn one below another in the same cabinet they may he shifted laterally to one another so that the indexes at the lett-hand margin ci the cards in the lower tray' will become visible beyond the side edge ol the upper tray. This position ol the trays is not illustrated in the drawings but is accomplished by reason oi the particular construction of the retaining pin and curved sections bb oi rod blt' :that permit the rear end ol the tray being slidably moved relative to slide member tb to a limitentent in a direction sidewise ot the slide members and the cabinet.

lin the cabinet structure as illustrated in the drawings the lower angle bars lill ol the guide trames support a sliding shell lll lormed ol sheet metal and suitably reinforced. llheli ld has depending side iianges 'll on the side edges thereof and on-the under central tace ol shelf llt in the rear portion. stop bracket lt ls provided with a central opening la. A retaining button. 'lt is plv-n oted on a screw l which secures the button on the top tace ol iront cross bar ill as clearly .shown in ltlgs. 3 and it. The shell. may be :lnserted by turning retaining button ll so that it entends with its longer dimension directed lengthwise ol the cabinet whereupon the shelf is lnserted in the cabinet and slot "il will receive the button and pass 'ther-cover. .lifter the shell is in the cabinet the button is .turned into a laterally eatending position on the cross bar as shown in lille. ll which will retain the shell member against complete detachment trom the cabinet. llt may be withdrawn .to a lorwardly projecting position as shown in lille. l in order to support the card inden trays when withdrawn lrorn the cabinet in an inclined position as illustrated in Fig. l.

lille uppermost guide bars til in the cabinet while being adapted to support a slide member andv tray are illustrated in the drawings as supporting a iront cover llt and its supporting and retaining structure. 'llhe iront cover lt is formed ot sheet metal ol a size adapted to close the iront opelnlng in the casing in the manner shown in lila. l2, and also to be adapted lor swinging movement out oi the closed position shown in ll'ig, l2 lor sliding movement into the space provided at the top of the cabinet by the rst guide bars 24 below the inner top member I6. In order to slidably mount the cover in attachment with the cabinet there is provided a suitable attaching device lncluding a retaining member 'l1 formed of sheet metal having an imperforate top section and side and front flanges thereon. The bottom is left open. Spring members I8 are secured to the side flanges oi retaining member 'Il and have handles 79 that may be manually engaged to bend the spring members inwardly from the side flanges at the rear end. The rear ends of spring members 'lll carry retaining studs t0 that engage through openings in the side nanges or member ll and openings in the upper angle bars it, as clearly shown in Fig. il. These plus 80, arranged at opposite sides of member l1, serve to normally lock retaining member l1 in the guideway at the top oi the cabinet. li pair of hinge members 3l are secured to the front portion of retaining member ll and carry transversely extending pins b2 which have the cuter ends engaged in channels formed by the inwardly bent flanges on the side edges of iront closure 16. This provides for the sliding and swinging movement of the front cover around pins t2 so that the cover may be moved into a horizontal position and slidably moved into the cabinet as shown in Fig. 3 or withdrawn from the position shown in Fig. 3 and swung over the iront ends of the trays into the closed position shown in Fig. l2.

A suitable loci: mechanism indicated at 83 is mounted on the tree edge ot the iront cover having a key lill tor actuating the loclr so that when the cover is in closed position the loclr may be operated to secure the lower end to the iront oi the cabinet against opening movement by unauthorized persons.

lteierring to Figs. ld to 17 showing a iew modiiications lrom the iorrn of the invention described above, the outer casing for the cabinet is in-n dicated by numeral lill, and comprises side walls tt, top wall bl, bottom wall td, rear wall lid and front wall llt, all formed in the manner' hereinabove described ln connection with the construction ol cabinet l. One of the changes made in this modihed cabinet structure is in the side trame units which are termed with a iront vertical member tl, a rear vertical member tt and a vertical stop member bd. vThese vertical members are connected together at the upper and lower ends by top trame member dft and bottom channel trame llt. 'These side frames are mounted in the cabinet in the same manner as the side trames. ot the construction previously described, having top cross members tt and bottom cross members bl similar to the members lt and tb extending between the side l'ralnes at opposite sides ol the cabinet for securing them in the outer casing. Front and rear vertical niembers bl and tt are each formed with two rows ot" struck out tongues lit and bil respectively. Tongues llt are arranged in spaced vertical relation, the tongues on the rear frame member belng in horizontal alignment with the corresponding tongues on the iront frame member. Tongues 99 are offset slightly from 'tongues llt for a purpose that will be presently described.

Tongues lili slidably support slide members ltd. .Slide members lllb are formed of sheet metal having a partition forming section lbl at the bottorn extending transversely between the slide walls of the cabinet. .at the side edges, section llll is termed with odset margins ltd and side walls lili extending upwardly from the outer edges of said margins and terminating in inwardly extending top anges |04. The rear end of section |0| is formed with an upwardly extending rear wall |05 while at the front portion of the slide member, section |0I is formed with a return bend portion to provide hook |06.

Each slide member |00 is slidably supported by the side frames by having offset side margins |02 supported by tongues 98 on the front and rear vertical frame members 9| and 92 at each side of the cabinet. Tongues 99 operate to retain each slide member in sliding engagement with a pair of tongues 98 and to prevent vertical movement of the slide members in the cabinet.

Each slide member supports a card index tray |01 for sliding movement therein. These trays are the same as the card index trays described above with the exception of the construction hereinafter described. At the rear end of each tray |01, there is provided a transversely extendo ing pin |08 mounted in cylindrical portions |09 secured adjacent the rear end of the tray. At opposite sides of the tray, this cylindrical portion |09 is cut out to receive cylindrical hinged knuckles ||0 of hook members III. Pin |08 extends through cylindrical knuckles I|0 and pivotally mounts each hook member thereon. A coil spring ||2 is mounted on pin |08 as shown in Fig. l5, and has one end engaged with projection ||3 on hook member II I and the opposite end engaged with the tray. This spring I I2 normally operates to move hooks against the bottom of the tray into the recesses formed by the offset portions I|4 formed in the rear of the tray. It will be understood that two hooks are mounted at the rear end of the tray, one ad. jacent each side in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 15, 16 and 17.

When 4a tray |01 is Withdrawn from its slide member |00, hooks I|| will engage hook |06 on the front end of partition section IOI. When the rear end of the tray reaches the front end of slide member |00, these hooks will engage in the manner illustrated in Figs. 16 and 17. When this position of the parts is reached, tray I 01 may be swung from the horizon-tal position illustrated in Fig. 16 to the vertical position illustrated in Fig. 17 in the normal use and manipulation of the tray for reference to the indexes carried i thereby. In this operation, it will be noted that the hinge mounting of hooks I on the rear end of the tray will elciently provide for this movement of .the tray without likelihood of the hooks becoming disconnected from hook |06 of the slide member. y

It is desirable, in some instances, to merely refer to some records on the cards in the trays, and for such purposes, it is not necessary to fully remove the tray from the cabinet. This construction, therefore, provides for ltray |01 being withdrawn from its slide member until hooks I engage with hook |06 at the front of the cabinet as illustrated in Fig. 15 without pulling slide member |00 outwardly from the cabinet. In order to obtain this operation a spring latch ||5 is mounted on the side wall |03 of slide member |00 with a curved end portion ||6 engaged with inclined face II'I of vertical stop member 93. By

means of this spring latch ||5, slide member |00 is retained in its rear-most position in the cabinet during the entire outward sliding movement of the Itray lto the position illustrated in Fig. 15 and as just described above. Tray |01 may then be moved downward on the hinges and an inspection of the records in the tray may be made.

For a. great many uses of visible card index cabinets, it is desirable to pull the tray to a position beyond the front of the cabinet and outwardly beyond the position just described above and shown in Fig. 15. The slidable mounting of the slide member provides for the further extension of the tray in front of the cabinet. To obtain this operation of .the tray it is withdrawn as above described until the hooks engage hook |06. Then, a further outward pull of 4tray |01 moves slide member |00 forwardly from its rearmost position whereby curved end ||6 is cammed over inclined face ||1 and slide member |00 moves forwardly in the cabinet with the front projecting outwardly, as indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. l5. When the slide member has moved forwardly -to this dot and dash line position, spring latch ||5 will move forwardly to the position indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. l5. In this position curved end ||6 will engage between the inclined flange ||8 formed on j front member 9| and laterally extending portion ||9 and effectively arrest the forward motion of slide member |00 and hold it in this position.

The index cards in tray |01 may then be referred to in the usual manner and top cover |20 pivotally mounted at the rear end portion of the tray can be swung rearwardly into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 16 to be supported by the front ends of flanges |04 on the slide member which terminate rearwardly of the front ends of partition section |0I and side walls |03, as clearly shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17. Thisstructure of the slide member with the front end of flange |04 cut off facilitates the support 'and operation of top cover |20. For this purpose, top cover |20 is also provided adjacent its hinged mounting on the tray with extensions |2| on the side edges in line with the end of flange |04, as shown in Fig. 15.

When tray |01 is moved into the cabinet, it is ilrst moved upwardly into a position shown in Fig. 16, where it is aligned with its slide member |00. Then, the tray is pushed rearwardly into slide member |00. In the rst part of this rearward motion of the tray into the slide member, side extensions |2| on top cover |20 will ride on the front ends of flanges |04 and Ithe top cover will be swung on its hinged mounting on the tray into the closed position or forwardly extending posi-tion, as shown by full lines in Fig. 16. Tray |01 will then slidably move into slide member |00 until it is entirely housed in the slide member and the front of the tray engages the front end of the slide member. Further movement of the tray into the cabinet will carry slide member |00 with it so that the tray and slide member will move together from the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 15 into the cablinet until `the full line position shown in Fig. 14

is reached when both the tray and its slide member will be in the rearmost position in the cabinet. As the slide member is moved from its forward position into the cabinet, spring latch ||5 will have its end ||6 cammed over flange ||l as it moves rearwardly into .the cabinet. End ||l will, subsequently, engage inclined face |22 oi' stop member 93 which will cam latch member ||6 inwardly toward the slide member so that it will subsequently engage inclined face ||1 in the manner shown in full lines in Fig. 15 for retaining the slide member in its rear-most position until forcibly withdrawn as hereinabove described.

The tray may be removed from its slide member -by suilicient rearward movement from the position shown in Fig. 16 to dsengage hooks III from hook 106. The rear of the tray is then lifted up until the upper edges of the side walls of the tray engage the under faces of ilanges |04 when forward movement of the tray will allow hooks III Ito move over hook |06.

The slide members may be removed from the cabinet by inserting a -thin metal strip in the space allowed for clearance between slide members H10 and vertical frame members 9| and 92, until the end can be engaged on the outside of curved end IIB, when forward movement of the strip and slide member will force latch H5 against its slide member and allow i-t to pass iront frame member 9 I.

The invention claimed is:

l. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways, a plurality of trays slidable in said slide members, means normally retaining each ci said slide members against detachment from said casing, and means retaining said trays vagainst', complete detachment from said slide members when withdrawn from said casing, both of said means cooperating in the operation of said trays for retaining said first-mentioned means in disengaged relation whereby said slide members may be removed from said casing with its tray.

2. A card index cabinet comprising a casingl having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways, a tray for each slide member slidably' mounted therein, means normally retaining each slide member against detachment from said casing, means retaining each of said trays against complete detachment from its respective slide member when withdrawn from said casing, and means positively connecting each tray to its slide member for securing the forward sliding movement of the slide member with its tray from its rearmost position to its forward position, said inst-mentioned means being inoperative during the operation of the last named means to connect the tray to the slide member.

3. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, a plurality of card index trays slidable in and out of said casing, a plurality of slide members slidably mounted in said guideways, each slide member slidably receiving one of said trays in telescoping relation for sliding movement therein, a stop mechanism cooperating with each slide member, tray and said casing operable to connect each slide member to its respective tray during a portion of the movement of the tray in being withdrawn from said casing, said mechanism being further operable to release said tray for sliding movement relative to its slide member and simultaneously becoming operable for engaging portions carried by the casing for limiting sliding movement of the slide member outwardly from the casing to retain said slide member against complete detachment from the casing, and means for retaining said tray against complete detachment from its respective slide member. Y

d. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways and having transversely extending portions providing partitions extending between opposite sides of said casing, each slide member forming a tray compartment, a tray in each compartment slidably mounted therein for movement into and out oi' the casing and said compartment,

means for normally retaining each tray against complete detachment from its slide member when withdrawn therefrom, and istop means carried by each slide member having parts cooperating with parts on the guideway of said casing for limiting movement oi said slide member relative to the casing, said stop means also having parts for cooperating with the tray to connect the tray to the slide member :for insuring movement of the slide member with the tray during the outward movement of the tray from the casing, said stop means also having parts operated by said tray for releasing said stop means from engagement with the parts on the casing whereby said slide member may be detached from the casing.

5. A card index cabinet comprising a. casing having guideways, slide members -slidable in said guideways, card index trays slidable one in each slide member, means for retaining each tray against complete detachment from its respective slide member when withdrawn therefrom and from said casing, a plurality of stops in each guideway, stop means on each slide member for engaging the stops in said guideway having parts controlled by said tray for holding said stop means in disengaged position whereby said stop means may be controlled to selectively engage and disengage with any one of said stops in said guideways.

6. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways, card index trays slidable one in each slide member, a bell crank pivoted in each slide member having a pair of stops on one end for engagement with said guideway and the tray housed in said slide member respectively, said tray being adapted to engage the other end of said bell crank lever for operating said lever to engage one of said projections with said tray for locking said tray and slide member together for simultaneous movement in said guideways, the other projection on said bell crank being normally adapted to cooperate with parts on said guideways to normally retain said slide member against detachment from said casing when said tray is disengaged from the other end of said bell crank, and means for normally retaining said tray against detachment from said slide member when said tray is withdrawn from said slide member and casing. i

7. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways, card index trays slidable one in each slide member, a stop in each guideway for said slide member, stop means on each slide member for cooperation with the stop in said guideway to limit the movement thereof relative to said casing, said stop means having parts operated by said tray for moving said stop means to a position to disengage the stop in said guideway, said stop means having parts for engaging said tray and locking said tray to said slide member in said last mentioned position, and means for normally disengaging said stop means from position to lock said tray to said slide member and to project said stop means into engagement with the stop in said guideway, and means for normally retaining said tray against complete detachment from its slide member when withdrawn therefrom and from said casing.

8. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, slide members slidable in said guideways formed to provide a plurality of partitions extending between opposite sides of said casing and providing a plurality of compari;-

ments, a tray in eaclicompartment slidable on one of said slide members, stop means in each slidc member for normally engaging parts in the guideways for limiting movement of said slide members in said guideways, said stop means having parts engageable by said tray operable to move the stop means to inoperative position, said stop means operating automatically upon the withdrawing movement of the tray from the cabinet te limit the motion of said slide .members land means for retaining said tray against complete detachment from said slide member when withdrawn from said slide member and casing.

9. A card index cabinet comprising a casing having guideways, a plurality of card index trays, a slide member for each guideWay slidably mounted therein, each slide member being formed of a piece of sheet material having a partition section extending between the side walls of said cabinet, laterally extending flanges on the sides and rear edge of said partition section, said side flanges terminating in inwardly extending anges parallel to said partition section, said flanges on each slide member and said partition cooperating to form a compartment for slidably receiving one of said card index trays, stop means in each of said slide members normally operable to engage a stop provided on said guideways and limit movement of each slide ,member relative to said casing in said guideways for normally preventing detachment of said slide members from said casing, and means for retaining each tray against complete detachment from its respective slide member when withdrawn from said slide member and casing.

10. A card index cabinet, comprising a casing, a plurality of slide members each slidably mounted in said casing, a plurality of trays each slidably mounted in one slide member, cooperatlng means on said casing and each slide member for releasably retaining each slide member in either of two positions in said casing, and means for cooperation with said cooperating means operable -by said trays to disengage said cooperating means from either of said two positions for further movement of said slide member relative to said casing.

11. A card index cabinet, comprising a casing, al plurality of slide members each slidably mounted in said casing, a, plurality of trays each slidably mounted in one slide member, and cooperating means on said casing and said trays for releasably retaining a slide member in at least one position in said casing against sliding movement, each tray being adapted to operate said means in the slide member in which it is housed for holding said means in inoperative position whereby a slide member may be moved and removed from said casing.

CARL F. WOLTERS. 

